same according to that saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithsull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare but will giue the issue with the temptation that wee may bee able to endure it The great and excellent fruits that arise and come from afflictions 4. Comfort vnto the children and seruants of God are most excellent sweet and delectable and therefore minister no small comforts in the time of extremities For by these afflictions wee are taught the more to be humbled in the sight of God in respect of sinne To abandon feare and fly from sinne They worke in vs a serious and earnest care in more dutifull obedience to conforme our selues to the will of God They are meanes to stirre vp our faith They declare our hope and bring forth in vs the fruit of patience They what vs on to earnest inuocation and prayer They teach vs the contempt of worldly pleasures They shew and set before vs the vanity and misery of this present life and stirre vs vp to the earnest study meditation and desire of the life to come whose ioyes and pleasures are true perfect and void of all miseries endlesse and durable without decay All which and many mo such excellent and worthy fruits so sweet and pleasant arising out of the bitter root of afflictions so vnsauourie to our fleshly seeling will serue as I haue said as most comfortable receits when wee are pained with extremities The next comfort is 5. Comfort to remember and alwayes to haue this in minde that be our afflictions and miseries neuer so extreme and neuer so great yet they can in no wise preuaile so farre against those that are the Saints and Beloued of God that they should any thing weaken or impayre the certaintie or assuredres of their saluation so long before determined and decreed in the good pleasure and fore-knowledge of God according to that of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ lesus our Lord. Seeing then that nothing shal be able to hurt or annoy the Elect and Chosen but that all things shall turne and serue to their good it cannot bee but that afflictions also shall be conuerted to their singular comfort Let Satan now breathe out his terrible threats neuer so much against vs and admit that he so farre preuaile in his wicked and malicious purpose as to take away our naturall life and doe depriue vs of this present light yet our other life in obtaining whereof all our hope our ioy and comfort resteth is hid layd vp and kept safe in Christ our Sauiour as a most sure treasury from all Satans subtilties so that he cannot once touch or trouble it although hee make neuer so great attempts against the same The consideration and daily meditation of the afflictions and miseries of others the Seruants Saints of God 6. Comfort is no doubt very comfortable and profitable also in this case For when wee finde and are assured that such as haue beene the beloued Children of God haue been partakers of the like afflictions yea and ostentimes of greater and farre more grieuous and haue in the end receiued a recompence of their labours wee are incouraged the rather to enter into the same conflict with the more patience to beare the brunt thereof and with the greater constancy to endure vnto the end with full assurance that as those our brethren so wee also in the end as good souldiers shall be crowned as Victorers And seeing that Satan aswell in this poynt as in others bendeth his force to the vttermost of his power to abate and to coole this courage in vs by the blotting out of our memories the remembrance of these examples of such worthy seruants of the Lord for a most soueraigne medicine in this dangerous sicknesse I would counsell the afflicted soule in the time of his afflictions to spend no little time in reading and ouer-reading the lamentable histories of Gods distressed and afflicted seruants whereof hee shall haue great store and plenty both in the sacred Scriptures and also in the Ecclesiasticall stories of lower and later times faithfully gathered compiled published in our English tongue by that worthy man of famous memory Mr. Fox and others These I would wish to bee the afflicted mans Garden whereinto if hee euery day resort a little for recreation sake I doubt not but he shall there finde Flowers of so sweet and delectable sauour and Herbs of so rare and soueraigne vertue that he shall be assuredly thereby maruellously comforted and strengthened when as I haue sayd in reading hee shall finde that others also highly in the fauour of God haue notwithstanding tasted as deepe yea and farre more deepe of this bitter cup of afflictions then he himselfe hath done As a most dangerous poyson very forcible to ouerthrow vtterly 7. Comfort and to impaire his good estate I would wish the distressed soule to eschew the narrow intentiuenesse and fixing his minde vpon the extreme rage of his owne woes and miseries either past or present but rather to cal to his mind that which he hath heeretofore found in himselfe if at any time hee hath but felt some arguments and tokens of his election and on those of fix the eyes of his remembrance and withall to settle his heart vpon the end of his afflictions which as hath beene shewed is most ioyfull and comfortable tending onely vnto his good Lastly hee is to consider that although his miseries bee neuer so great and many for the time yet they are of no long continuance but short and momentany euen as is our life vpon the earth which is but as a vapour that quickly vanisheth as the brittle glasse that soon breaketh as the grasse that parcheth in a day and withereth as the Post that passeth by with speed So that although they should so long continue and cleaue vnto vs as our life lasteth yet the time of our life being so short the continuance of them must be short also Wherof no little comfort may grow vnto the afflicted soule and that the rather if he call to minde that endlesse and vndated time of happinesse wherein wee shall be made partakers of that endlesse crowne of glory and those exceeding ioyes which no tongue is able to vtter nor heart of man is able to conceiue These are the comforts whereof I thought good heere briefly to put the afflicted person in minde for that I haue in seuerall places as occasion serued touched the same before Others there are which in their places God willing shall in like manner for their good bee deliuered CHAP. XXIIII Against the feare of death and vnwillingnesse to die ALthough I haue before
sinne so there is a help and remedy to be found in the Gospell whereby hee may be perfectly cured and restored if he were able to attaine vnto it 2. When he perceiueth this remedy reuealed by the Gospel to be in it selfe so full and all-sufficient A godly sorrow and considereth well thereof both in the originall that is the mercy and loue of God and also in the manner of it which was the death and bloud-shed of the best-beloued and onely Sonne of God then he beginneth againe through this glasse to behold sinne in the vgly visage therof and therby is constrained to mourne and sigh afresh for committing of that which could not by any meanes bee purified and clensed but by the precious bloud of that immaculate Lambe of God 2. Cor. 7.9 Christ Iesus And this mourning the Apostle iustly calleth a godly sorrow Which though indeed it be a part of true repentance in the truth and nature of it and therefore an effect of it yet because Faith is as yet but yong and weake and cannot be so easily discerned in the fulnesse of her motion it hath so many sparkes of doubting and distrust in the grieuous appearance of sinne that the broken-hearted Christian being thus pricked and perplexed hath nothing more common and vsuall in his mouth then condemnation Yea withall sometimes hee groweth so extreme and outragious in these distrustfull passions that no reason can satisfie and perswade him for a time but that hee wanteth Faith though indeed hee haue the truth of faith shewing it selfe in the fruits thereof within him Thirdly Faith now as I haue said hauing brought forth this godly sorrow to this end A hatred lothing of sinne that so wee might be truely humbled though for her weaknes being but lately sprung it is not able to keepe it vnder measure yet by little and little it groweth to some ripenes And therefore next vpon or rather iointly with this mourning it breedeth a hatred and lothing of sinne A desire and longing after the righteousnes of Christ Iesus that is so filthy and odious in the sight of God and so pernicious and dangerous vnto man and planteth a desire and longing after the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus And therefore is greatly encouraged to approch and draw neere vnto the Throne of Grace and to call and cry vnto God for mercy And all these are the notable and vndoubted fruits of Faith and most certaine arguments and euident tokens that true faith although not in her full perfection is surely seated in the heart of him that hath them A taste comfortable feeling of the grace of God Fourthly after all these they grow by little and little to haue some taste and comfortable feeling of the grace of God imparted to them by the inward working of Gods Spirit Insomuch that euery day more and more they grow to conquer subdue the despairing thoughts of the flesh and the motions thereof And the comfortable influence of the Spirit seemeth euery day more then other to haue a larger and freer passage in the chamber of their hearts in testifying vnto them the grace of God in the free remission of sinne and the performance of the worke of their Adoption Fiftly after all these ensueth that full assurance and most notable effect of Faith Peace of conscience euen the very peace of conscience For that now they are assuredly and fully resolued Weake Christians doubt they haue faith because they finde it not to be so strōg in themselues as they perceiue it to bee in others that all their sinnes are washed away in the bloud of Christ that by his death the wrath of God is appeased their ransome paid the righteousnes of Christ by imputation made theirs the feare of death and hell abolished and life eternall purchased After this doctrine in the course and manner of mans conuersion thus deliuered let vs now returne againe vnto the broken and afflicted soule which doubteth of the want of faith And withall let vs see and sift the reason why hee thus despayreth of his faith and thinketh and perswadeth himselfe that he hath no faith at all His reason is this Because hee doth not finde within himselfe as yet that certaintie and full assurance of saluation which he seeth and perceiueth to be in others This reason although it seeme to him very strong yet in it selfe it is but weake and beeing throughly examined cannot hold nor stand for good For this full assurance whereupon he groundeth his reason is not Faith as some haue defined faith saying Faith is a full assurance but rather one notable and vndoubted effect of faith And yet not alwayes so atttending vpon faith as though it should continually bee there euidently seene where faith is seated For a man may haue true faith and yet not feele this full assurance And my reason is because this assurance is not the first effect that faith euer bringeth forth in the heart of man when it is begun to be ingrafted in him But it hath many other excellent effects precedent and going before it As the true and hearty mourning for sinne that earnest lothing and hatred of sinne and a thirsting and longing after righteousnes c. which are often found in the Elect of God before such time as they receiue this caline and peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost by the full assurance of their saluation Now to proue these to be the fruits and attendants of true faith the rather to qualifie and allay the sharpe and bitter combate of the troubled soule let vs diligently consider First the principall efficient cause and worker of this sorrow and mourning which I spake of is the Spirit of Regeneration and Adoption For this cause the Apostle calleth it a sorrow that is of God 2. Cor. 7.9 10. Rom. 8.26 2. Cor. 7. And the Spirit is said Romans 8. to pray in vs with sighs that cannot be expressed This Spirit is onely had and retained of vs by the meanes of Faith Gal. 3.2 For it is receiued and dwelleth in cur hearts by faith Gal. 3.2 Wherupon it also followeth that of necessitie it can none otherwise be but where this earnest sorrow and earnest lothing and detestation of sinne is found there also faith should be ingraffed Because otherwise this Spirit of Adoption which effecteth these in vs could not be entertained in our hearts Secondly this sorrow Psal 51. which otherwise in regard of the subiect is called a contrite and broken heart is said to be a sacrifice of God and such an one as hee will not despise And how could this be that it should bee a thing so acceptable in the sight of God and so well accepted of him if it did not proceed and come of Faith seeing that as the Apostle restifieth without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 And Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne
beene smitten of GOD and plagued and euen in earth to haue receiued the very sentence of eternall death vpon themselues But this manner of iudgement must bee suspended for notwithstanding these externall and outward accidents befalling their bodies they rested and continued still the Elect and Chosen of the Lord euen vnto the death the cup whereof in defence of their Masters cause they most gladly tasted of how grieuous soeuer the torments and afflictions were which their bodies suffered and endured And againe if thou dost vouchsafe with an vpright heart and void of all blind affection to compare together thine and their afflictions I doubt not but that both for the cause and also for the matter and manner of them euen in thine owne iudgement thou wilt be found and prooued nothing comparable but farre inferiour vnto them For they were afflicted for the testimonie of Christ but thou for sinne they at the hands of Satans instruments in most cruell manner and thou at the hands of God after a Fatherly way They vnto death and the same most extreme but in thee thy life is preserued a time of repentance is granted which is surely a great Argument of Gods great loue and fauour towards thee So that now thou maist see this my Position to bee true and that to thy great comfort that others haue tasted and drunke as deep of the cup of afflictions nay much deeper then thou hast done So insatiable a Serpent is Satan and so obstinate in his peruerse opinion that nothing bee it neuer so truely vttered can satisfie him and content him For although this which hath been said concerning this Position and the ouerthrow of Satans coloured reasons doe greatly qualifie and allay the matter yet through Satans suggestions the broken soule is not with all this contented For the enemy hath now found out another muse and starting-hole to auoid the danger of this sound doctrine and to intrap the weake conscience whose death he greedily thirsteth after within the compasse of his subtilty as by this his reason doth appeare CHAP. XXII Of the fourth Position LET it bee graunted saith this our cruell Enemy that many of Gods Elect and Chosen are found to haue suffered these A fresh assault of Satan and such like afflictions and say they haue gone beyond thee in extremities yet this helpeth not the matter neither doth it serue thy purpose at all For reade and see and thou shalt finde and that quickely a great difference for the miseries which they endure are but short and momentany with them there may bee trouble and heauinesse for a night Psal 30.5 but toy commeth in the morning But experience telleth thee that thy troubles contrary wise are of long continuance Againe when they cry and call for help and succour God doth soone release them and putteth an end vnto their troubles for hee hath so promised vnto those that are his Children Call vpon me in time of trouble and I will deliner thee Psal 50.15 And therefore wee shall also finde that Dauid a man which was so much experienced in afflictions God was alwaies ready and at hand to saue and deliuer him as hee himselfe doth witnesse saying I cryed vnto the Lord and hee heard mee c. But with thee thou seest it is not so for thou hast cryed and called a long time and yet thou art not heard thou pravest but thou canst not preuaile Cease therefore to reason what grieuous torments the children of God haue suffered for it will not satisfie nor suffice thy turne For if thou hadst beene one of Gods elect and chosen Children hee would surely haue heard thee long yer this Hee would not haue stopped his eares at so many cries nor passed ouer so many plaints without compassion shewing In this new and fresh assault of Satan made vpon the weake conscience we are to consider how that to make his reason to carry the greater shew of probability he doth make a double amplification thereof Partly by the enumeration of some examples of such persons as haue beene afflicted but yet for a short time whose cry the Lord hath quickly heard and granted their request saying Lo and see such and such an one the Saints Seruants of God indeed that haue suffered great and grieuous torments but behold and see againe how soone and quickly they were deliuered And partly by the recitall of Gods exceeding mercy and compassion vnto his Seruants alledging that his eyes are alway fixed on them his eares are euer open to their cryes that hee is tender and carefull ouer them as the Hen ouer her Chickens or the Mother ouer her yong and tender Babe and as mindfull of them as the Bride is of her Ornaments in the day of Marriage and hereupon laboureth to infer this Conclusion against the afflicted soule to driue him into despaire That it cannot be possible that God being so pittifull so louing and so compassionate should so long and in such sort deferre and put off his helping hand from him if hee were reputed in the number of GODS Elect and Chosen This reason of Satan thus amplyfied the more subtilly that it is by him couched the more forcibly it prcuaileth with the weake and distressed soule to the dangerous ouerthrow thereof For whereas it hath beene before shewed that both the Elect and Reprobate are in deed partakers of afflictions Satan by this his reason would perswade that the continuance of afflictions in respect of time and the delay vsed of God in shewing forth his helpe are vndoubted differences and plaine markes whereby the one from the other may very easily be discerned known And to further him in this his purpose he taketh no small aduantage of the imbecility and weakenesse which is found in man who so long as his wounds are but fresh and greene can the better tolerate and abide the bearing of them because hee conceiueth some hope of some quicke and speedie deliuerance But when after long expectation he perceiueth his hope to bee frustrated and after long tryall seeth hee can finde no ease although hee hath vsed all possible meanes for the same then hee beginneth to despaire of himselfe and to make a question and doubt of his estate Wherein hee is found to be like vnto a sicke man which hauing tryed all the helps of Physick and yet finding no helpe for the curing of his disease beginneth then to distrust of life whereas before such tryall made hee suspected little danger of death in himselfe To preuent Satan of his purpose and for the strengthening of the weake Christian it shall not be amisse nay I thinke it necessary as before of the other reasons of the Aduersarie so of this likewise to shew the weakenesse and insufficiencie that it being knowne wee may see and perceiue the better how little faith is to bee giuen to his perswasions In which doing as a counter-blast against this temptation of Satan I thinke it good heere
of death and the exceeding fruits of life and ioy that doe arise and spring from death to vs together with all these seuerall comforts that haue beene before set downe against the seuerall assaults of Satan made against the Children of God For if thus and after this sort thou be carefull to furnish and prepare thy selfe in time of health Satans assaults in the time of sicknes shall soone bee beaten back the edge of his sharpe and cutting weapons shall be quickly blunted and all his attempts and practices shall bee made frustrate and void Hitherto of the first preparation in time of health against this last combate the which in the meane time also may very well nay should indeed serue euery Christian in withstanding all temptations throughout the whole care and course of his life CHAP. XXVII Of the preparation concerning the time of sicknes and death THe next part of Preparation is that which is to bee had at the time of sicknes and beeing ready to dye consisteth partly in the comfort which we are to receiue and haue from others and partly in our selues From others as spirituall counsell and Prayers And these others are either such as haue a more speciall charge hereunto as is the Pastor and Minister of the place who in this time of sicknes should bee sent for that hee might minister vnto the diseased spirituall counsell and aduice Or such as Christian dutie doth binde vnto it as kinsfolkes and neighbours and such as are about the sicke parties in the time of their sicknes For this indeed is a time wherin the chiefest loue that thou canst shew vnto thy brother and dearest friend is to labour by all meanes to arme him with patience against the terrours of death to draw him from the loue of the world and to breed in him a loue a liking vnto heauenly things in ministring as spirituall and heauenly comfort as thou canst vnto his soule and not to be ouer nice herein dianty of thy paines as many are which are loth to make any mention of death at all vnto the person diseased lest it should bring or breed any discomfort vnto his sick friend And so for feare of the losse of a little worldly comfort which is but vanity thou wilt depriue him of this spirituall comfort belonging to his soule It is good I confesse to bee carefull for the good of his body but it is far better and a greater argument and signe of true loue in thee to be carefull for the good of his soule Among these that thus art attendant at or in the time of sicknes the Physician also oftentimes hath his place Of whom wee might speake concerning many points if that our Treaty were generally respecting death and not particularly tyed vnto it as it is attended with such a dangerous conflict with so great and mighty enemies In him therfore as faithfulnes care and skill are requisite for the body So also it is behoouefull that hee should bee such an one as could withall knew how to apply some medicines of comfort vnto the soule But I leaue these and come now vnto thy selfe to shew what is requisite in thee in these extremities Thou hast all thy life time beene in the field for a Christian mans life is a continuall warfare wherein he lyeth in continuall leager against the Diuell But now thou art to fight a pitched battell wherein thine Enemy the Diuell hath mustered all his forces and therefore hath entred as it were in league with death that last and dreadfull Enemy to fight against thee These with mayne force and might doe assault thee on the one side and the world with her allurements lyeth in ambush on the other side with her subtilties to deceiue thee neither will the flesh bee idle but to the power thereof will put too her helping hand that so a conquest vpon thee might be had and that they might with the more ease triumph ouer thee It behooueth thee therefore to keepe a continuall watch and to looke well about thee that thou mayst the better preuent the euill and cut them short of their purpose This therefore I would aduise thee to doe Whensoeuer the warning piece is shot off that is as soone as sicknesse doth beginne to seaze vpon thee looke well and take a good view of thy selfe and prouide in time that thou mayst be on all parts armed with that Armour of proofe before mentioned See thou be girded with the girdle of Truth vpō thy loynes hauing on thee the Brest-plate of Righteousnes the Shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of Peace the Target of Faith in thy left hand the sword of the Spirit in thy right hand and the Helmet of Hope on thy head And ouer all these see there bee cast the Coat of Constancie and withall pray continually that the Lord would continually assist and strengthen thee in these dāgerous times and giue thee good successe against thine enemies Secondly let all thy thoughts and meditations be fixed and settled vpon heauenly things vpon those vnspeakeable and incomprehensible ioyes and comforts of the life to come and therewithall also vpon that All-sufficient sacrifice of Christ our Sauiour who by his death and Passion hath washed and redeemed vs from all our sinnes subdued death and purchased for vs immortall and euerlasting life Thirdly take heed that the cares and cogitations of the world creepe not on thee but cast off from thy shoulders the heauy burthen thereof For they are great and mighty hinderances in this last conflict as is before shewed Banish them therefore and barre them from thy heart as vnfit to muster with thee in this last and heauy conflict If the pleasures and delights of this life come before thee remember they are but vanities If the terrours and feares of death present themselues into thy sight thinke of them not as they appeare and seeme in show but as they bee indeed that is momentany and short and rather helping then hindering For they are the passage vnto life and vnto the ioyes of Heauen Therefore set downe thy Resolution that if these were past then all thy miseries were come to an end and dispatched For though Satan tell thee that death was ordained as a curse and punishment for sinne yet doe thou reply that Christ hath turned it and changed the nature of it and of a curse hath made it vnto Gods Children to be a blessing and the entrance into ioyes and the gate of life For by our Sauiour Iesus Christ his Resurrection the force of death is taken away and therefore the graue hell can make no conquest ouer them Although thou bee thus appointed yet doe not thinke that thou canst be so acquitted and discharged of thine enemies aforesaid but that Satan the principall of all other thine Aduersaries which is the Master of all mischiefe will still bee vrging thee to vexe and trouble thee to the vttermost And therefore vse continually the Armour
of the body and also the safety and saluation of the soule This loue is of that nature that it must shew forth it selfe euen to our enemtes and to their good and then much more to those that are members of the same body with vs according to that of the Apostle Do good vnto al men but speciully vnto thē which are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 Vnder these two kindes of Christian loue as we may see is contained the whole work of our sanctification which is all in faith I meane the true saith which purifyeth and clenseth our harts and from this faith issueth and floweth as from a plentifull fountaine Act. 15.9 into all the parts and members of the body holding and containing them vvithin the bounds and lists of their seuerall duties So that in shewing forth the fruits of this purification in the deeds of loue both towards God and towards our neighbour we are said to walke according to the Spirit which being once discerned and knowne we haue then a most sure argument of the truth of faith Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit And who are they that shall thus be saued and shall not enter into condemnation but they that doe beleeue As appeareth by the words of Christ himselfe Joh. 5.24 saying Hee that heareth my Word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And againe God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne Iohn 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Seeing now that the Children of God haue these so many and so excellent fruits and effects as markes and tokens to teach and instruct them in the truth of faith and as guides to lead and direct them in the iudgement of their Faith they may very well conclude to their great comfort both that their faith is in very deede a true liuely and iustifying faeith and that therefore their election is doubtlesse certaine an I sure whatsoeuer the enemies of this doctrine will seeme to obiect to the contrarie CHAP. XXXIII How the faithfull shall know that they haue the Spirit of Adoption THese things being in this manner set downe for the better quieting of the troubled conscience it now remaineth that as we haue occupyed our selues in poynting out the markes of a true liuely faith so likewise we take some paines to syft out and try also how the seruants of God his faithfull and elect children may discerne and know that they haue that testifying Spirit of Adoption whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.16 that giueth that plaine and euident testimonie vnto their spirits that they are the sons of God For the wicked and reprobates in some sort may be partakers of the Holy Ghost and therefore it seemeth that the Elect in this point may bee easily deceiued and mistake this their witnesse Two things here by the way wee must take good heed of First That although the Reprobates as I haue said may in some sort bee partakers of the Holy Ghost and as shall bee after more plainly shewed yet that we do not suppose or thinke that they can in any wise bee partakers of the same holy Spirit as it is the Spirit of Adoption For in this manner and in this respect it is imparted to the Elect of God onely and to none other For as many as are led by this Spirit Rom. 8.14.2 they are the sonnes of God Secondly that wee do not imagine this Spirit of Adoption to be distinct in substance and essence from that whereof the wicked are partakers as though it had a diuers nature but that the onely difference is in the manner of operation or to speake more plainely in the manner of distributing and diuiding his gifts amongst men And according to this operation or distribution there are diuers names ascribed vnto him in the Scriptures and yet the Spirit is but one and the same still As for an example when this Spirit effecteth wisedome in any it is called the Spirit of Wisedome when hee doth effect peace and ioy hee is called the Spirit of peace and ioy When hee worketh this witnesse of Adoption in any it is called the Spirit of Adoption And on the other part when hee putteth feare and terrour into any hee is called the Spirit of bondage The truth hereof is proued by the words of the Apostle Paul affirming that there are diner sities of gifts 1. Cor. 12.8 c. but the same Spirit For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit and to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit and to another the operations of great workes and to another Prophecie and to another the discerning of Spirits and to another diuersities of tongues and to another the interpretation of tongues and all these things worketh euen the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as hee will So that in nature and essence it is the same Spirit that worketh in the distribution of all these gifts both to the Elect and also Reprobates although the persons in whom hee worketh bee as I haue said found to be diuers Seeing then that the case standeth so that euen the Reprobates are partakers of the Holy Ghost in that the gifts of the Holy Ghost in some part are giuen and imparted vnto them I thinke it very expedient for the remouing of all doubts which may arise concerning this mine assertion First to shew in what manner this Spirit is and doth thus diuersly worke in the one and in the other in the Elect and in the Reprobate And seeondly what are the true markes and tokens whereby the Spirit of Adoption may bee discerned As touching the first it is be considered that the Spirit being in essence very God and therefore infinite and incomprehensible cannot be said to be contained in any thing but filleth heauen earth And therefore when it is said that hee is in any it is to be vnderstood that hee is in them by his working and operation And this manner of his being in them is after two sorts either naturall or else supernaturall Naturall I call that which exceedeth not the course and reach of mans nature And this is such as toucheth and concerncth the beeing onely and in this sense the Spirit may bee said to bee in the very senselesse creatures and to haue his working and operation in them For by this Spirit of God it is that euery thing is and hath his being and by the same Spirit it is preserued and maintained Or else it is such as concerneth things sensible and indued with life sense and motion and thus it is imparted vnto the very dumbe
SOVERAIGNE COMFORTS FOR A troubled Conscience WHEREIN THE SVBTILTIES OF SATAN are discouered his Reasons and Obiections fully answered AND FVRTHER The truth laid open and manifested to the great Consolation and strengthening of such as are distressed and afflicted in Minde Written by the late faithfull Seruant of the Lord Mr. Robert Yarrow And now published for the benefit of such as groning vnder the burthen of an afflicted Conscience desire Comfort MATH 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I will giue you rest LONDON Printed for RALPH ROVNTHVVAITE and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the Signe of the Golden Lyon 1619. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR FRANCIS BARRINGTON Knight and Baronet my much honored and worthy friend And to the no lesse vertuous then religious Lady the Lady BARRINGTON his Wife continuance with increase of happinesse heere and eternall happinesse hereafter WOrthy Sr. and good Madam though not as I would yet as I can I shal euer be ready to testifie my respect and thankfulnes for your loue and kinde fauours towards me whereof till the Lord shall be pleased to giue further means accept I pray you this which as it is a publike so my desire is it may bee a perpetuall acknowledgement I present you here with the labours of another which comming to my hands some few yeeres since gaue mee then so good content that when I restored the originall to the owner it left another same behinde it That not long since beeing required at my hands to bee sent abroad to the publique view after some consideration thereof had and the owner to whom it more properly belonged made acquainted therewith and the originall of the Authors owne hand-writing commended and committed vnto mee to that end and purpose I condiscended And that as for their sakes who groning vnder the burthen of a troubled spirit may by the blessing of GOD receiue benefit hereby So likewise and much the rather for yours to whom I did destinate the same from the very instant that the request vvas made Vouchsafe therefore I pray you to let it passe into the world vnder the TITLE of your NAME which as it will bee a shelter to defend it against the detraction of ill disposed persons so will it bee likewise as an oyntment powred out Cant. 1. â— yeelding a sweet sauour to make it pleasing not so much to the nostrils as the hearts and minds of the well affected and more godly sort of Christians And thus commending you to that our good God Act. 20.32 and to the Word of his Grace Heb. 6.10 that is not vnrighteous to forget your worke and labour of loue which yee haue shewed towards his Name in that ye haue beene so farre from being ashamed of the Gospell of his Christ that to the good example of the godly Rom. 1.16 and the shame of others yee haue profest the same in truth and sinceritie Phil. 2.15 and beene blamelesse and harmelesse the Children of God without rebuke in the mids of a crooked and peruerse Nation among whom yee shine as lights in the world I take my leaue Yours in all due and Christian respect Iohn Maunsell To the Christian Reader ALBEIT good Reader Eccles 12.12 the words of Salomon There is no end of making many books might neuer more iustly bee turned into a complaint in that the Presse did neuer surfet so much in that kind as in these daies of ours yet haue I presumed so far vpon thy patience as in this Scribling Age to send forth vnto thy view and consequently of all men the ensuing Treatise And yet I trust there is so little cause of iust exception either to me or it as that thou wilt much rather affoord it acceptance and mee thy approbation And that first in regard of the Subiect whereupon though it bee true that some others haue formerly written yet were they many more they might all well be borne for were they three for one I should aduise the man or woman afflicted in spirit to prouide to haue and to vse them all for the ground of that rule that the Wiseman prescribes in another case Eccles 11.6 holds as well in this In the morning sowe thy seede and in the euening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not saith he whether shall prosper either this or that or whether both shall bee alike good So I to thee reade others and spare not yet with-hold not thy selfe from reading this for thou knowest not whether may yeeld more comfort to thy distressed soule either they or this Besides Greenham Perkins for the chiefest of those others that I haue obserued in that kinde they are annext to other larger Workes which together are of higher price then that the purse of euery one that is troubled in conscience can reach vnto them And next in regard of the Worke it selfe which when thou hast perused I trust thou shalt finde not to bee done rawly and slightly but for the points therein handled and the matters that it driues at substantially and soundly And now good Reader sith I know that it satisfies thee not to see the worke but thou desirest withall to heare what hee was that wrote it not to trouble thee with any tedious discourse I will acquaint thee with so much as is requisite for thee to know and that in few words Hee was a man for yeares but yong The Authour cropt off euen in the flower of his age as more fit for heauen then the earth Whilst he liued he was generally noted to bee a man of very great hope and to be endued with many excellent parts as well of grace as nature whereof to giue thee onely a taste hee was of a meeke spirit a sober carriage a discreete behauiour a sound iudgement and of such vncessant and indefatigable paines as promised if the Lord had beene pleased to spare him life much good and benefit to the Church of God And which was the chiefest and set the crowne vpon all the rest hee was of a truely sincere and a right gracious heart Ioh. 1.17 A true Nathaniel an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile Besides which may in no hand bee omitted hee was The Authors own inward afflictions the first occasion of this Treatise and that for a good space greatly perplexed and troubled in minde with inward afflictions which the Lord so disposing it was the first occasion that mooued him to frame this discourse Of which his conflicts and the pangs and torments that his poore tender heart endured therein more sharpe and terrible vnto him then death I and Thou good Reader and such Others as being in any measure distressed as hee was shall make vse of these his labours receiue the benefit for as the Spirit of God makes mention of our blessed Sauiour Heb. 2.18 In that hee himselfe did suffer and was tempted hee is
able to succour those that are tempted So this our Authour in that hee was himselfe afflicted in spirit and troubled in conscience through the suggestions of Satan and the temptations of the Deuill doubtlesse hee was inabled thereby as well out of his more vigilant and carefull obseruation of Satans practices as the sense and feeling of his owne extremities the better to discerne and discouer his Wiles and Stratagemes neither so alone but withall to apply vnto himselfe and to prescribe to others such comforts and remedies as out of his owne experience hee found to yeeld most ease and helpe And thus good Reader to detaine thee no longer from the perusall of the same beseeching the Lord to blesse it vnto thee I cease and shall euer rest Thine in the Lord Iesus I. M. The Contents of the seuerall CHAPTERS CHAP. I. OF the extremities and griefes of a troubled conscience FOL 1 CHAP. II. Wherein is contained the principall causes of a troubled conscience FOL 12 CHAP. III. Of the second or Assistant causes of a troubled conscience FOL 23 CHAP. IIII. A Cordiall against the assault of sinne FOL 28 CHAP. V. Soueraigne remedies against the wound of sin FOL 41 CHAP. VI. Against the assault of the weaknesse and want of faith FOL 60 CHAP. VII Of speciall things in mans conuersion FOL 81 CHAP. VIII Of another person troubled with the doubt of faith FOL 101 CHAP. IX Against the assault of the weaknes of repentance FOL 123 CHAP. X. Of the markes of true Repentance FOL 127 CHAP. XI An Admonition to the sorrowfull soule FOL 141 CHAP. XII Of loathing of sin the second marke of repentance FOL 145 CHAP. XIII Of the application of the former things to the comfort of the sorrowfull soule FOL 153 CHAP. XIIII How the man disquieted in conscience should in the same behaue himselfe FOL 168 CHAP. XV. Against afflictions and outward euents FOL 188 CHAP. XVI Of the first Position and the Obiections against the same FOL 119 CHAP. XVII Satans obiection against the former doctrine answered FOL 204 CHAP. XVIII Of the second Position and the Obiections against the doctrine thereof FOL 214 CHAP. XIX Satans Obiection against necessitie of afflictions ouerthrowne FOL 128 CHAP. XX. Other Obiections of Satan against the former doctrine confuted FOL 243 CHAP. XXI Of the third Position FOL 251 CHAP. XXII Of the fourth Position FOL 269 CHAP. XXIII Of the fift Position FOL 292 CHAP. XXIIII Against the feare of death and vnwillingnesse to die FOL 301 CHAP. XXV Of the first part of the preparation vnto death FOL 316 CHAP. XXVI Of the second part of the preparation vnto death FOL 326 CHAP. XXVII Of the preparation concerning the time of sicknesse and death FOL 343 CHAP. XXVIII That the Elect in time bee assured of their Election and how FOL 352 CHAP. XXIX Of the second Argument whereby the certainety of a mans election is proued FOL 359 CHAP. XXX Of the third Argument whereby the certainty of mans Election is proued FOL 366 CHAP. XXXI Of the Obiections against this doctrine of Assurance and knowledge of our Election FOL 370 CHAP. XXXII Of the essects whereby the truth of faith may bee knowne FOL 379 CHAP. XXXIII How the faithfull shall know that they haue the Spirit of Adoption FOL 397 CHAP. XXXIIII Of the true markes whereby the Spirit of Adoption may be knowne FOL 405 CHAP. XXXV Of the outward fruits of Regeneration FOL 415 CHAP. XXXVI Of the second Obiection FOL 423 A SOVERAIGNE COMFORT FOR A TROVBLED Conscience CHAP. I. Of the extremities and griefes of a troubled conscience INfinite and intolerable for the time seeme the extremities of a troubled and distressed mind that is throughly humbled and abased by reason of sinne In so much that were it possible that all temporall griefes whatsoeuer and paines arising from bodily diseases No temporall griefes like the distresses of a troubled conscience might or could bee heaped vpon one and the selfe same person yet would they bee found too light to weigh in the ballance with these perplexed agonies For as all riuers runne into the sea and as the man that is indebted if once hee fall into pouerty is so farre from comfort that hee hath all his creditors ready to tread and presse him downe neuer ceasing vntill they haue brought him to the Gaole and prison So likewise is the troubled minde A troubled mind is a receptacle for all griefes a receptacle for all griefes the enemies therof viz. Sinne Sathan Death and Hell are continually rushing in vpon it and triumphing ouer it writ vpon writ to attach this silly troubled conscience and by force and violence to draw it to the seat of Iudgement The multitude of sinnes doe amaze it and the intolerable weight of iudgement and of the anger of God doe continually affright it Within nothing but a most infinite masse and confused Chaos of despairing thoughts and without euery obiect is so terrible and full of feares that all things seeme to haue ioyned hands and giuen consent to increase his griefes and adde vnto his woes and miseries Great no doubt was the griefe of the wife of Phineas who hearing that the Arke of God was taken 1. Sam. 4. Ely her father in law was dead and Phineas her husband slaine with extremity of anguish fell in trauell and in her paines deceased And how was Dauid perplexed when hearing of the death of Absolon 2. Sam. 18.33 hee withdrew himselfe into his chamber howling out weeping and saying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would to God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne But alas what is the wife of Phineas and who is Dauid that they should bee set forth as patternes to expresse this agony and distresse of a troubled soule The losses from whence these sorrowes of Phineas his wife and King Dauid did rise are farre inferiour and how is it then possible that their dolors should bee equall It is not the losse of the Arke of God that troubleth them but the losse of heauen and of all the ioyes prepared for Gods elect children Not the death of Ely but the departure of God himselfe in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore They see him frowne which was sometime fauourable him terrible from whom they receiued comfort and him a Iudge who sometime was a louing Father It is not the death of Phineas an earthly husband but the losse of Christ the Spirituall Spouse euen that Iesus which saueth his people from their sinnes and is the onely Mediator betwixt God and Man Neither is it the death of Absolon a sonne but of a soule then the which what can be to a man more precious No maruell then if it sometime fare with these as it doth with persons lunatike For what is it that the terror of Gods eternall wrath and iudgement except
Gods Spirit doe assist cannot put out of frame and order 1. Reg. 21. How was Ahab humbled when he heard the iudgements of God denounced by the Prophet Eliah Dan. 5.6 How did Belshazzar quake and tremble when hee saw the handwriting on the wall his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another How was Foelix terrified Act. 24.26 euen with the hearing of Paul disputing of righteousnesse and temperance and the iudgement to come And how was Iudas the traytor also distressed in minde when in despaire most desperately hee hanged himselfe Let it not seeme maruellous vnto you that I thus couple the disquieted soule with those who in the Scriptures haue beene accompted castawaies For during these extremities it doth no better iudge and esteeme of it selfe For the time it seemeth to bee in his owne conceit and iudgement no better then a reprobate one alienated and exiled from grace a fire-brand of Hell and fuell appointed to destruction Insomuch that oftentimes hee cryeth out in most lamentable and wofull manner that he is nothing else but a damned creature Nay with some and that full of this malady doth grow so extreme and terrible that their soule chuseth rather to bee strangled Job 7.15 then to bee in their bones whose griefe seemeth by so much the more desperate and fearefull by how much more for the time they seeme to be depriued of comfort One troubled with the consideration of his sin compared to a sicke man For as it is with the sicke man that is euen at deaths doore and brought as it were to the edge of the graue his weake stomake is neither able to receiue nor retaine the food ministred vnto him but either it riseth at the sight thereof as ready to refuse it or else hauing receiued it casteth it vp againe as altogether vnable to digest it Euen so it is with the soule that is sicke with sinne set before it out of the Word of God the Food of eternall life either his stomake riseth at it and will not receiue it saying that these things appertaine not to him Or else if he heare thee for a time as seeming to haue receiued it into the bowels of his soule yet not long but the stomake of his soule beginneth againe to wamble in him and the courses of his despairing thoughts returning vnto their sit againe hee is oftentimes more distressed then before and in fine vomiteth it vp againe and falleth to his wonted agonies So that as it is with the man that is wounded And to one that hath some wound or impostume c. or hath a sore impostume though he be in great extremity is so fearefull to haue his malady to be touched that if the Chyrurgeon doe but mooue his hand vnto it though with intent to ease cure him yet he draweth backe and cryeth out Mat. 8.28 chusing rather to continue in his griefe then to let his sore be launced And And to the two possessed with Deuils that our Sauiour cured as it was with the two possessed with Deuils of whom wee read in the Gospell that when Iesus came neere vnto them they cryed out not tolerating that hee should approch vnto them So he that thus is wounded and infected with the botch of sinne if a man goe about to apply some thing to heale his sores and cure his corrupted maladies will crie out Oh hee cannot beare it hee fleeth from it Offer Christ vnto him and present vnto him Iesus ready to deliuer him and rid him from the hands of sin and Sathan he cannot tolerate to looke vpon him then hee cryeth out as one possessed Who art thou and Verse 29. What haue I to doe with thee O Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God art thou come to torment mee before the time Speake vnto him of mercy He is not for the time capable of comfort and tell him of the sweet balsamum oyle of grace lay before him the couenants of compassion and preach vnto him of that sweet confection and soueraigne medicine of the blood of Christ to heale the sting and close vp the festered wounds of sinne this is to trouble the sore and to renew the griefe Out of this floure hee sucketh poyson this maketh his Byle to runne and this forceth his wounds to gape more wide For his despairing heart not tolerating to apply these comforts to it selfe maketh them an occasion of further torments Oh saith hee indeede these and these are the ioyes that appertaine to the righteous thus and thus should I haue had ease and found comfort vnto my soule had I beene one of Gods Elect and had my portion beene amongst his chosen but I alas a miserable sinfull and condemned creature am cast from the comfortable presence of my God and depriued of all his mercies Tell him of iudgement this is intolerable it maketh his soule that is already weake and wearisome to shudder and shake in pieces it stretcheth him vpon the rack of all extremities it pierceth as a sword into his distressed heart and as a violent fire it vehemently burneth in his bowels Then sighing out his sorrow and roaring out the extremities of his griefe and miseries as though already hee felt the horror of the hand of God and the dreggs of wrath and anger to haue begun to drop vpon him hee seemeth to himselfe as one abased vnto hell past all recouery Heereupon often also hee breaketh out into these and such like outcries His outcries and wofull complaints and wofull complaints and groanings How sinfull a wretch and cursed a caytiff am I How carelesly haue I liued and how dissolutely haue I spent my time Had I beene but a beast of the field then had my case beene better for then together with my life my miseries should haue had an end then should I haue perished and beene at rest then should my daies of trouble haue had a dated time and the yeeres of griefe would soone haue been expired Then should I not thus haue been a marke for God to shoot at and a butt wherein to sticke his arrowes of displeasure Then should I not haue beene terrified with the feare of Iudgement nor haue felt the burthen of my sinnes irremissable thus pressing mee downe to the pit of hell Cursed bee the time wherein I first was borne and the houre wherein first I saw the light let darknesse couer it as a curtaine let the sunne withdraw his light fill it with abundance of terrors and let the shadow of death rest vpon it Woe woe is me that euer I was borne why was I brought out of the wombe and why perished I not that no eye had seene me why was I not so as though I had not been And why was I not brought from the wombe to the graue Cursed euer and before I was ordained vnto wrath borne
in iniquity liuing in hypocrisie dying in misery and damned for euer But why doe I thus striue to open and vnfold the greatnesse of these extremities For were their griefe weighed and their miseries layd together in the ballance it would bee heauier then the sand of the sea Were I able to conceiue them as others sometime feele them and to thinke them as others often finde them in themselues yet could I neuer sufficiently describe them Well I may in some sort touch them but they onely can sound the depth and reach the bottom of these extremities which haue sometimes tasted and in some measure felt the bitternesse of this gall and wormewood Notwithstanding as by the outward appearance of the wound the inward paines may bee coniectured and by the externall strugglings we may ghesse the internall conflicts The greatnesse of these extremities discerned in part by the effects so likewise by the effects that come from the sorrow of sinne appearing outwardly in the body we may in some sort learne how great that griefe and anguish is that possesseth the heart within For besides the plaints before set downe he oftentimes bedeweth his face with teares and weeping The body also oftentimes waxeth leane and wan fretteth away and wasteth as pained with some grieuous and consuming sicknesse not vnlike as touching the outward appearance to those pangs which Dauid a man after Gods owne heart did feele in himselfe crying out and saying Psal 6.6 Psal 38.3 I fainted in my mourning Psal 6.6 There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones by reason of my sinnes My reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh I am weakned and sore broken I reare for the very griefe of mine heart And againe My heart panteth my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne CHAP. II. The principall causes of a troubled conscience THe causes of these griefes 1 Cause some inconsiderately haue referred vnto melancholy Is the sight of sinne wheras indeed it is nothing else but sinne For experience teacheth that this is a passion happening oftentimes to those which by the disposition of their bodies are for the most part free from melancholy though many times I also grant that melancholy pastions are ioyned and doe concurre with it Was it melancholy thinke you Mat. 26.75 that made Peter so suddenly to single out himselfe from the rabble of the high Priests seruants and sobbing full of heauinesse to vtter out the bitternesse of his griefe with teares Shall we thinke of Dauid that when hee was taken and troubled with like perplexities that the same did proceed and come of melancholy Nay the Prophet confesseth and telleth vs plainely that it was sinne Psal 38.3 Psal 51.3 And therefore prayeth earnestly vnto the Lord Psal 38.3 Psal 51.9 to hide his face from his sinnes and to put away all the iniquities of him the same Prophet Dauid Psal 51.9 This I meane this sinne is it that maketh the heart to mourne and the inward parts to fret and burne with griefe This is it that causeth the broken soule to breathe out so many sighing plaints and to bee ready to swound and burst in sunder with so many fearfull and despairing thoughts For while hee sitteth so seuere a Iudge vpon himselfe and while hee prieth so narrowly nay too too narrowly into the disordered course and manner of his life laying the triall of his deeds to the touch-stone of the Law of God and weighing altogether in the balance with God his denounced iudgements hee thinketh euery word a sentence euery threat a thraue of iudgements and euery period to containe in it an exceeding masse and hell of miseries and woes This pricketh his heart in such sort that hee knoweth not what to doe and maketh him to cry with Paul though not with the like hope O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from this body of sinne and death Vnto this sight of sinne is added the weaknesse 2. The second cause is the weaknesse or want of faith and many times the want of faith For when they see and remember the sweet and comfortable promises of grace and mercy contained in the Gospell when they call to minde that precious medicine and soueraigne confection of the bloud of Christ able to heale vp the most pestilent sores and to cure the most contagious and deadly wounds of sinne And withall looking into themselues and finding there a defect and want to receiue and apply the same vnto themselues be they neuer so sweet and precious because they haue not faith which is the onely hand to retaine and hold them they are more distressed and affrighted then if they neuer heard or thought vpon them Insomuch that as Satan is ready alwayes to cast something in their way thereby to further them in the way of desperation so are they as ready so soone as it shall bee offered to catch it and accept it at his hands And therefore neuer thinking of Gods order and course of calling which is in some sooner in some later and not alike in all because they feele not the present working of the Spirit within them and the pulse of faith to moue and beat in their hearts they sticke not peremptorily and without exception to conclude vpon themselues saying I haue no faith I cannot beleeue and therefore I cannot be saued my sins cannot be pardoned I am but a reprobate and a damned castaway So that this motion is not onely found in such as haue an vtter defect and want of faith but also oftentimes in those which haue a faith who although as I haue sayd they haue a faith in deede yet it is but a weake and a faint faith and such an one as for infirmity is not able to mooue and stirre it selfe For as the man that is in a swound Such whose faith is weake compared to a man in a swound or he whose parts are benummed with some extreme cold or sudden stroke though there bee a life still remaining in them yet such is their infirmity that they seeme as dead and are vnable to performe the functions that belong vnto a liuing body euen so this faith though in truth it be a faith and hath a life in it yet it is so benummed with the chilling cold of sinne and astonied with the stroke of our naturall imperfections that it seemeth to bee dead and vtterly voyd of vitall motion So that sinne vnto this weake and wauering soule is euen as meat is oftentimes to him that surfeteth Hee eateth it with delight and taketh pleasure in it yet when his stomake commeth to digest and worke vpon it the strength of nature beeing not able to ouercome the abundance of vnconcocted humors the whole body is sicke and weakened in euery part and facultie So the soule that is glutted and
nay the very Angels in heauen cannot performe it Oh then sayst thou where is that vnsearchable wisdome that can attaine it And where is the endlesse reach of that exceeding skill and policy that can instruct me how to doe it Answ Though vnto thy selfe this bee admirable to nature a thing incomprehensible to man vnsearchable and euen to the Angels impossible yet doe thou not feare neither be thou any whit dismayd But remember alwayes that though these things both all and euery one and a thousand more beside should faile thee yet thou hast a Christ euen an anoynted Prophet that can and will helpe thee can and will instruct thee how thou mayst bee saued In him dwelleth all knowledge and wisdome in her full perfection Nay he is wisdome it selfe euen that eternall and euerlasting Wisdome of his Father He is the Angell of the great counsell that proceeded out of the hidden closet of his Fathers bosom And what is then so abstruse and intricate which hee is not able to attaine vnto Seeke therfore and sue vnto him and he will tell thee Obiect Hearken vnto him he will teach thee to thy eternall comfort But thou wilt say All this I know but what is that to the purpose when Christ hath taught and told mee am I then able to performe it I haue sinned and offended a thousand fold and on the other side God is iust and iustice must bee satisfied And which way is it euer possible that such a wretched sinfull and weake a creature as I should doe it Answ I grant indeed thou art of thy selfe vnable but now looke back againe to Christ and againe consider that as hee is an anointed Prophet as I told thee before Christ is a Priest to teach thee so he is also made a Priest vnto vs to offer vp and present vnto his heauenly Father that all-sufficient and euer-pleasing sacrifice to God his Father by vertue whereof be our sinnes innumerable yet with that one and onely paiment hee resteth himselfe fully satisfied and contented And the more to assure thee hereof it shall not bee amisse to produce vnto thee the testimony and witnes of the Holy Ghost and of God the Father witnesses both ancient and authenticall enough to content in this or any other such like case The Spirit speaking by the pen of his Apostle Paul telleth vs That it pleased the Father Col. 1.19 that in him should all fulnesse dwell and by him to reconcile vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen And the Father plainly hath giuen this testimonie of him Mat. 3.17 17.5 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased To these you may adde the saying of the Sonne himselfe who plainely affirmeth of himselfe that hee came to giue his life and to bee made a ransome for many And to notifie vnto vs That all-sufficiencie of this ransome beeing ready to yeeld vp the Ghost Ioh. 19.30 he affirmed that all was finished A great number of such like places to the same effect might be produced out of the Booke of God but I hope these few will suffice to stop the mouthes of the gaine-sayers of this so comfortable doctrine Such as were stinged with serpents in the wildernes Numb 21. so long as they looked downward vpō themselues and vpon their wounds could finde no comfort to the curing of their griefe but casting their eyes vpon the brazen Serpent at the commandement of God erected by Moses they quickly had and found recouery So we so long as being wounded by that sinfull Serpent the Diuell wee cast our eyes and looke vpon our selues and vpon our sinnes onely wee can neuer finde any release But if wee lift vp the eyes of our faith and looke vpon Christ Iesus that was lifted vp in sacrifice vpon the Crosse as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse we shall out of doubt finde therin a present and a soueraigne remedy against all the infections of our sinnes For as it fared with the Iewes before the time of Christ that although they often sinned yet it was not permitted to themselues but the Priest must offer sacrisice to make the atonement so neither is it in our power to satisfie God against whom wee haue offended but Christ alone is onely our Priest to offer vp the sacrifice of satisfaction to put away his Fathers wrath Gen. 27.23 And therefore also as Iacob in getting the blessing from his Brother Esau was content to follow his mothers counsell and to remit the mitigating of his fathers wrath if haply hee were displeased vnto her carefull policy so we in treading the path and way to life and blessednesse must be content not onely to insist in that that Christ enioyneth vs but also for the satisfying of the wrath of GOD for our sinne committed which is not in our selues to doe we must still depend on Christ who is a thousand parts more skilfull and auailable to doe the same then euer was Rebecca to content the humour of her husband Isaac Insomuch as hee did not onely by his death once offer vp himselfe vnto God a sweet smelling oblation to doe away our sinnes but also by vertue of this his Priesthood hee continually remaineth an earnest intercessor for vs insomuch that hee no sooner seeth as it were a frowne of dis-fauour appearing in the countenance of his Father towards vs but straightway hee is ready to interpose himselfe to appease the same and to make a peace betwixt his Father and vs. As touching the third office wherevnto our Sauiour is anointed Christ is a King which is his Kingly Office there is no small comfort to be found therein also For although our enemies so many so great and mighty doe continually and euery day bend set themselues against vs and like rauening Wolues ramping roring Lyons most greedily gape and thirst after our destruction yet hath hee I meane our Sauiour Christ Iesus such a Kingly conquering and subduing power giuen vnto him that all our enemies Sinne Satan Death and Hell will they nill they must of necessitie stoope and be obedient thereunto And therefore what further scruple is there remaining for which thou canst not find a soueraine medicine in this comfortable Kingdome and royall souerainty of Christ our Sauiour Doth Satan make claime vnto thee or doth he plead a right interest vnto thy soule Haue recourse to Christ For though in thy selfe thou findess the euidence of Satan to be written with the sinfull letters of thine owne transgressions yet in Christ and in his death and bloudshed thou shalt finde them razed and cancelled and vnto him alone to be signed and sealed from his Father a sure and sufficient deed of gift as it were of thy selfe and of thy soule with sufficient warrant against Satan and all his complices In that our heauenly Father hath deliuered into
this our Sauiours hands such an absolute and powerfull authoritie as that no power either in earth or hell is able to withstand doth sinne incumber thee art thou inwrap ped in the chaines therof bound with the gables of thâ—ne owne iniquities Fly then to Christ for hee it is that is able alone and onely to breake these bands in sunder and to set thy soule at libertie For being a Michael as a mighty Captaine to subdue our enemies hee hath power also to redeeme vs home and to reduce vs from the feare of bondage And as for death and hell the fearfullest feares that euer were vnto the sinfull soule there is no cause at all to feare them seeing that sinne the sting of both is by Christ so conquered and taken away Obiect But thou wilt haply say These things I finde indeed to bee so as is said but yet to me it is not so For these graces which you haue spoken of belong to to the righteous as for me my sinnes as a mighty floud haue ouerrunne my soule testifying as a thousand witnesses that these things doe not appertaine to mee but rather all those curses threats and iudgements that are denounced in the Law Answ Hereunto I answere that you are altogether in one song being as it appeareth intentiue wholly and onely on your sinnes and nothing else Was Physick euer ordained I pray you for him that is in health Is Chirurgery appointed for him that hath no sores or wounds Howsoeuer you iudge in this case Christ I am sure is of another iudgement and telleth you otherwise that they which are whole haue no need of the Physition but they that are sick And that he came not to call the righteous Mat. 9.13 Luke 19.10 but sinners to repentance And that the Sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which was lost And doe you not remember that sweet compellation lately mentioned Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you Who are these weary and who are the heauy laden are they not which was the third part I obserued in that call made by Christ such as are tyred and ouerburthened with the heauy load and burthen of their sinnes Yes no doubt You see then that it is not of any force or moment which you haue obiected to the contrary Again consider I pray you what was the cause that our heauenly Father did lay those three seuerall offices before touched on the person of his Sonne Was it not for sinne and that of vs that are his sinfull creatures And was it not in the wisdome of God deuised as a remedy and recouery against our sinnes If Adam had persisted and continued still in that purity and innocencie in the which hee was first created what needed Christ so to haue abased himselfe and to haue suffered so many shamefull and cruell things as he did It appeareth therefore that whatsoeuer Christ is vnto vs it is all to take away our sinne to reconcile vs into the fauour of God and to make vs with him inheritors of his euerlasting Kingdome If sinne had neuer entred no doubt the greatest part of Christs office had beene frustrate and to no purpose There is no cause then to alledge our sinnes as a cause to make his grace to be vneffectuall in vs vvhich was the first thing whereunto it was appointed entered and tooke effect And therefore we should rather thus reason dispute to the contrary I am a sinfull and a great transgressor Christ on the other side is a Sauiour to saue his people from their sinnes and therefore I know and am assured that the fruit and effect of his precious bloudshedding doth appertaine and belong vnto me To that which hath been heretofore said in this behalfe I may adde the saying of the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be receiued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners Of the Prophet Esay affirming that he was wounded for our transgressions Esay 53.5 and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are heale and many such like places to that same effect but I hope these shall suffice CHAP. VI. Against the assault of the weaknes and want of Faith Obiect BVt here it is commonly obiected by the person thus disquieted and troubled in minde Indeed these things I doe know and confesse to bee so but yet I remember what is also written that is that although Christ came to be a Sauiour and a Redeemer vnto sinners and was indeed sent to preach good tydings vnto the poore Esay 61.1 to bind vp the broken hearted to preach libertie vnto the captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison to comfort all that mourne to cloath them with the garments of saluation to couer them with the robe of righteousnes yet in them onely shall this his comming and death be effectuall which by a true and a liuely faith take hold and depend vpon him For it is written So God loued the world Iob. 3.16 that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life but as for those which haue not faith it after followeth that they are so farre from grace that they are coÌ„demned already Iob. 3.18 because they beleeue not in the onely begotten Sonne of God This assault 2. Sorts of men assaulted with the want of Faith although for the most part it neuer ensueth after the assault of sinne before touched yet it is diuersly disposed in respect of the diuers subiects wherein it worketh For some are such as are but newly begunne to be regenerate and renewed in whom faith doth but beginne to take roote and to bee sowed and ingrafted and these hauing lyen alwaies beforetime as it were dead in sinne haue neuer felt to their knowledge the liuely pulse of faith at any time to beat within them And againe 1. The newly regenerate others there be that being before called and being indued with the gift of faith yet the flesh resisting against the Spirit and the spirituall graces 2. More ancient Christians remaining for the time both dull and weake in them they seeme to haue clean lost that which they had before and thereupon fall to doubting and distrust within themselues as though their faith were but a dead faith which seemeth for the time to bee so quickly wasted and decayed Against these two seuerall estates of men wee are to apply seuerall medicines as is most conuenient First touching him that is but yong and very tender in the womb of regeneration and not fully formed and become a renued creature in Christ No maruell if he thinke strange of this distrust within himselfe or if that he complaine of the weaknes and want of faith in himselfe For you must
condemnation As in the Elect all things turne to their good So in the other both this and all other things turne to their euill Thus much to shew and proue that which is promised or rather affirmed in my first Position viz. that the originall of affliction laid vpon Gods children is not of hatred in God but of his loue towards those that are afflicted CHAP. XVIII Of the second Position and the Obiections against the doctrine thereof ALthough the Doctrine before deliuered bee in it selfe most certaine true although in the deliuery therof the Serpents subtiltie hath beene laid open not so much as it deserueth or as the case and matter in hand requireth yet I trust so that euery man may haue thereby a taste of his malicious minde so craftily going about to circumuent them and so to compasse and effect their destruction yet will not this our mortall enemy giue ouer but with this new and fresh incounter beginneth againe to make his assault Hath not God saith he promised vnto his seruants prosperitie An assault of Satan peace good and happy successe and hath hee not made his couenant with them to deliuer and saue them out of these extremities Answ Answ No doubt hee hath thus promised and hee hath thus couenanted indeed But yet his promise and couenant are not so made as that afflictions should not touch the seruants of God at all but rather in this sense that they shall not hurt or ouercome them For he wil acquit and free his faithfull seruants from that tyrannous power of sinne and death What is this which you say Doe you thinke then that death and sinne shall neuer befall vnto them This is absurd indeed being so void of truth Wee see the contrary proued by experience Nay rather this is proued euen by experience that neither sinne nor death although they bee enemies of great power shal euer haue the strength to preuaile so farre against them as to subdue and conquer them For the explanation of the vvhich Doctrine 2. Position That afflictions are incident and must befall the children of God you see the consideration of the second Position to be necessary which was that these miseries and afflictions in this life are incident and must befall vnto the children of God that so we may the better see the slender hold and so with the more ease auoid the danger of this temptation This Position as it euidently appeareth standeth on these two branches First that these afflictions doe befall the children of God and secondly that it is of necessitie that it should bee so For proofe of the first I might produce the examples of a great number of the seruants of God as Noah Lot Moses Iob Dauid Daniel the Prophets Apostles and the faithfull Martyrs and witnesses of our Sauiour Christ But forsomuch as the same hath been touched before I will not stay hereupon The second hauing a necessitie ioyned thereunto that of necessitie it must be so doth require a more large discourse further proofes which by Gods assistance shall be done and that I hope in such maner as that the truth shall easily appeare to stand fully and altogether against Satan and his wicked policies In this paines taking I might vrge that excellent saying of the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 3.12 That whosoeuer will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution But I know that the Aduersarie will be very carnest to cauill against me and take exception against this Doctrine and place of Paul saying that it is not to bee vnderstood of any punishment for sinne as those afflictions which are laid vpon him but for well-doing But I insist with this Interrogation Is it not more vnlikely that the seruants of Christ should suffer for well-doing then for euill And if God suffereth them to be euill intreated and persecuted of the world and that euen then when they doe well how much more shall he doe it when they shall sin and offâ—nd against him Hereunto thou wilt haply answere that this is likely indeed but yet thou findest most commonly the examples of the greatest miseries in Gods seruants to haue come not so much of sinne as in the furtherance of his cause and Gospell as the examples of the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs do proue But thine estate is otherwise For thou seest no such matter of goodnes in thy selfe wherefore these afflictions should be imposed vpon thee To this I againe on the contrary part doe here plainely affirme and say that I stand not to dispute or to make any search and inquiry whether thou findest in thy selfe any such matter of goodnes or not It is farre from my purpose and I leaue that to the iudgement of God first and then to the tryall of thine owne conscience But I come to the principall point which is this That GOD for sinne doth oftentimes in this sort chasten yea and that there is also a necessitie in this included that hee should thus correct and chastise those that are his children either more or lesse as shall seeme good vnto him in his will and pleasure For proofe of this which I haue said viz. that sinne in the Elect of God is cause of corrections and afflictions laid vpon them I thinke not amisse to referre thee to these examples recorded vnto vs in the Booke of God Moses and Aaron for back wardnes in beliefe Numb 20.12 13. were punished with exclusion from the Land of Promise 1. Sam. 3.27 28. Heli for his too much lenitie and remisse cockering of his gracelesse children was plagued with a fearefull visitation The Kingdome was rent from Salomons posterity because he transgressed against the Lord. 2. King 11.11 Dauid in plaine termes confesseth Psal 38. that the cause of his afflictions was in his sinne And therefore it is also that God so oftentimes in the Scriptures threatneth punishments and afflictions not onely to Reprobates but also to his Elect and Chosen Ieremy affirmeth Ier. 25. that God beginneth to plague the City where his name was called vpon And Peter plainly telleth vs 1. Pet. 4.17 that Iudgement must begin euen at the house of God Wherunto may be very wel added that promise of God vnto Dauid in regard of his sonne which should succeed him in his kingdome That if he sinned 2. Sam. 7.14 God would chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men but yet hee would not take his mercy vtterly from him So that heereby it is manifest that a chastening there should be and that for sin but yet such as should be attended with his mercy Heereunto I might adde also the examples of Hezechiah Daniel the godly Kings and Prophets which are all in this very resolute But in so plaine a matter I trust these few testimonies shall suffice Obiect But heere againe it is obiected Why is it necessary that these things should for sinne befall
to bee gazed on but that it should bee a memoriall to put him daily in minde of death and therefore we read not of any ouer-costly and curious trimming that Ioseph vsed hereabout If thus man could and would prouide for himselfe a Tombe or Sepulchre it were a blessed thing that it might serue to bee vnto him a continuall remembrance to put him in minde of death and of his departing hence But farre more blessed no doubt and thrice more happy should hee bee if with this good Disciple of Arimathea though not in the same manner hee could let Christ haue the first seasoning of his graue that is if through faith hope and comfort in Christ his Death and Passion he could prepare himselfe vnto his end But I haue digressed somewhat from my matter and yet I hope it be not much amisse the security and carelessenesse of our corrupted flesh being such as it is To returne therefore againe to that from the which I am digressed I would haue promised some reasons to perswade vs of the necessity of this preparation before I did come to set downe the manner and order how wee ought to prepare our selues to die but that in discourse and treaty of the one I shall haue occasion in some part to touch and include the other also This preparation in it selfe considered is in very deed a matter requiring a large and long discourse which manner of handling thereof I do leaue to others my purpose herein is onely to touch the principall points and those also so farre onely as they shall concerne my present purpose CHAP. XXV Of the first part of the preparation vnto death THE Preparation vnto death Preparation vnto death of two sorts is found to bee of two sorts either such as concerneth our goods and posterity or else such as respecteth our soules and the saluation thereof As touching that which concerneth our goods houshold and posteritie although it hath in it many branches and many things worthy the discoursing if it should bee fully handled yet for our present purpose I meane no further to entreate thereof then it is proued that the neglect thereof may bee a let and hinderance vnto vs in this spirituall combat at our latter end This kinde of Preparation wee finde to bee of great Antiquity and vsed of diuers renowmed Persons in the Scriptures Abraham Gen. 25.5 as it is recorded of him was mindefull of this and therefore although hee had diuers sonnes by Keturah whom hee tooke to wife after the death of Sara yet hee gaue all his goods before his death vnto Isaac his son Iacob also was not vnmindfull hereof Gen. 48.22 who as it appeareth did giue vnto his sonne Ioseph a speciall portion from his brethren Dauid also is noted 1. Kings 1.28 29 c. before his death although hee had many sons yet to leaue the Kingdome and Scepter to none but onely to Salomon borne of Bathsheba to his posterity This was giuen in charge euen from God himselfe 2. Kings 20.1 vnto King Hezekiah by the Lords Prophet commanding him to set his house in order for hee must die Experience in all ages yea and common sense also teacheth sufficiently how necessarie this kinde of preparation is what great commodities haue growne where the same hath beene daily vsed and contrariwife what great vexations and troubles in Law with a great number of other inconueniences haue followed vpon the neglect thereof So that hereby it easily appeareth that this dutie cannot bee neglected without great iniurie vnto thy seed and family that shall succeed after thee yea this also take by the way as a thing vndoubtedly true That as the vtter neglect hereof is thus hurtfull to thy seed and posterity so the deferring and putting off the same which is a very vsuall thing is very hurtfull and dangerous vnto thy selfe Therefore as it is requisite that we should haue a care in our life time to set all things straight and in good order both for the discharging of our selues of that heauy burden of these worldly cares and also for the stablishing of peace and quietnesse amongst those which are deare vnto vs whom we are to leaue to suruine vs So wee must consider that the principall thing that wee are to remember in it is that it is indeed a preparation that belongeth not so much vnto the time of infirmitie and sickenesse as it doth vnto the time of health And that it ought then doubtlesse to be performed when the Lord doth affoord vnto man strength of body and good memory and should not bee posted ouer vnto the latter end when sicknesse the messenger of death shall bee sent to call or cite vs vnto Deaths Court. For vpon this passing and posting ouer the matter from the time of health vnto sickenesse and in sicknesse time euen vnto the time almost when Death commeth to seyze vpon vs it commeth to passe that either the due order for the quiet estate of thy house is nor cannot be so well looked vnto and prouided for as it ought or that thy soule which is most to bee lamented in the time of thine agonies and sicknesses is little or nothing regarded But to eouer this vsuall fault in deferring this godly action from the time conuenient vnto the time indeed altogether inconuenient and vnmeet Satan hath ministred a cloake of excuse where with many are wonderfully blinded as though indeed God were bound of duty to order things after their prescription and to deale with them after their own hearts lusts Tush say they I hope well that God will giue mee time and space to prouide for both these things that is both for the setting of mine house in order and also for the good estate of my soule and that hee will not take mee out of this world in such a sudden manner but that I shall haue opportunity and good time allowed mee to set all things straight both for the orderly disposition of my goods and also for the carefull attending vpon the comforts requisite and needfull for the benefit and good of my soule Beware good Christian brother and sister who euer thou art that thus deceiuest thy selfe or rather yeeldest thy selfe to bee deceiued by Satan this is the crafty perswasion of thine vtter and most malicious enemy and therefore is none otherwise to be esteemed and iudged of but as a most extreme folly and point of dotage that I may so call it in this manner to dally with and to abuse the person of God for GOD hath giuen vnto thee a great time for doing hereof and thou neglectest it it argueth therefore a great folly and madnesse in thee It is in the vsuall and common Prouerbe While the Pig is proffered hold open the Poake God doth of goodnesse offer thee time to effect both these godly actions take it when it is offered and rest not thy selfe vpon vncertaine hope and expectation of the like againe heereafter If
thou didst well consider of the thing indeed thou shouldst easily find that thou hast very small reason to moue thee to hope after this time thou dream'st of whē as if it were longer then commonly is allotted vnto any yet it would bee found little enough to be imployed for the good benefit of thy soule And why then shouldst thou thinke that God will bee thus gracious to bestow this thing vpon thee in a time that is most vnfit when thou so vnthankefully didst put off and neglect the same being offered vnto thee so often before in a time conuenient Doe not thinke that thou hast God at command take his offer with thankfulnes vse it as thou oughtest to his glory and thy good and do not in any wise presume to prescribe vnto him a time or a manner how hee shall deale with thee at thine end If thou marke well without flatterie of thy selfe what thou hast deserued thou hast a great and a iust cause also to feare lest for thy carelesse neglect of this which in mercy hee offereth thee in iustice hee strike thee suddenly and at vnawares If therefore I might giue counsell in this so dangerous a case I would aduise euery childe of GOD to lay aside this vnchristian hope and to renew his Testament yeerely nay monethly or oftner that so he may be in a readinesse when death commeth rather then to post off all to bee performed in the time of sicknesse for by this deferring it commeth oftentimes to passe which is a lamentable thing for euery Christian heart and eye to thinke vpon and see that the man pressed with sickenesse and lying as yee would say at the point of death when hee should haue his heart and minde wholly set and fixed on heauen and heauenly things is so clogged and fettered in the cares of this life and such as concerne his house and Family that though his will be made according to his meaning his goods ordered and disposed accordingly and all things finished and ended to the knowledge of men yet with this sick man himselfe it is not so fully dispatched but that these worldly affaires wherewith his head hath been thus of late busied wil not so be rooted out but that a man shall heare him often euen in his greatest agonies to mutter and to talke of nothing else but these as though his head and thoughts were bent vpon nothing else And this many do with such vehemencie and earnestnesse that thereby they giue occasion vnto many that heare them to iudge that not onely the taste and feeling but also the very thought and inward meditation of heauenly ioyes and comforts seeme for the time to bee barred and excluded from hauing any place of rest and harbour in his heart and soule Wherefore if thou wilt not bee hindred from this taste of heauenly ioyes and pleasures at thy death and end of this thy naturall life haue a care in health in this sort to prouide for death lest the cares of this life bee a cause to hold and keepe these endlesse comforts from thee Follow the example of Abraham who in his life time when hee was in strength and health disposed of his goods While thou art yet sound and lustie haue thy Scpulchre in a readinesse with Ioseph of Arimathea that is let all things be prouided and set in such a readinesse as though alwayes and euery houre thou wert prepared and readie to descend into the graue Let neither thy youthfull yeeres nor yet thy strength flatter thee two deceitfull baites to breed securitie as though thou hadst long to liue and mightst continue yet many yeeres and so thou put off the time to make this preparation But while it is to day while thou hast time and season deferre it not but accept and vse well the time that God hath offered and giuen vnto thee CHAP. XXVI Of the second part of the preparation vnto death THE other and as I may well call it the Spirituall preparation vnto death belonging vnto the soule is found to be of two sorts that is either such as is to bee had and vsed at all times and throughout the whole course order of our life or such as concerneth the time of our sickenesse and death Of the first sort Salomon warneth vs very wisely 〈◊〉 1◠1 bidding vs Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth while the euill dayes come not and the yeeres approach wherein wee shall say I haue no pleasure in them And our Sauiour Christ lesus putteth vs in minde hereof also both by diuers exhortations in the Scriptures and also by the Parable of the ten Virgines Mat. 25.1 c. bidding vs to watch and pray that wee may bee alwaies in a readinesse with Oyle in our Lampes to enter with the Bridegroom into the Wedding whensoeuer hee shall come In this Preparation the first thing required is alwaies to thinke with our selues and to remember that wee must die according to that saying Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse This is an incuitable necessity imposed vpon all estates and conditions of men and of all to bee had in continuall remembrance This the Prophet Dauid calleth a numbring of our dayes saying Psal 90.12 Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Where is to bee noted what a serious cogitation and remembrance this must bee euen so and such an one as may breed in vs a wise and a carefull heart and minde to doe the will of God for that is it which heere the Prophet meaneth by applying our hearts to wisedome or as the Hebrew hath it by bringing a wise heart into vs. For they that liue lewdly and loosely giuing themselues ouer as slaues vnto sinne howsoeuer they seeme wise in their owne conceit or in the iudgement of men yet in the sight and iudgement of God they are accounted for no better then fooles and as men that walke vnwisely But this is too generall for our purpose for this remembrance of our death as a preparation vnto this last and finall combate must not onely thinke of death and meditate thereof but must thinke of it as of such a time wherein wee must haue a dangerous and fierce assault made vpon vs and that by all these great and perillous Enemies Satan the World and the Flesh ioyning hand in hand and force with force against vs. If this doe once sinke deepely into our hearts it will make vs to haue a speciall care indeed and to look well about vs that we may be throughly prouided and in all parts well furnished and appointed against this heauy Day and time of Tryall And that so much the rather also if withall we consider and remember that the time when this assault shall bee is short and sudden vncertaine and vnknowne and therefore it lyeth vs vpon to watch continually that wee may be alwaies and euery moment in a readinesse that
in holinesse and righteousnes Which if we doe we shall then disappoint our Aduersarie of his aduantage against vs and shall be well able to beare off and to auoid the dangerous pricks and thrusts which he will be ready continually to cast at vs in consideration of our sins It is a very hard thing to vtter indeed what a byting corrosiue the remembrance of the loosenes and lewdnes of a mans former life is vnto the afflicted soule at the time point of death and what great matter of discomfort Satan can quickly suck from thence to infuse and powre vpon them And it is againe on the other part a lamentable thing to see how carelessely men are for the most part affected and how slacke they are in preparing this piece of Armour thinking in themselues all to be well and safe enough although they haue liued neuer so lewdly and dissolutely and neglected the putting on of this piece of Armour euen to the very instant and time of death thinking if then they can repent there is no more adoe But alas all this while such men neuer consider how much more bitter their conflict with Satan is like to be Obiect But some will haply obiect Who euer was armed with this brest-plate of righteousnes and with such a good conscience that hee did not feele some wounds of sinne Answ It cannot bee denied but that the Saints of God are indeed so wounded they fall and commit sinne indeed but not with their heart it is of infirmitie according to that saying of Iohn 1. Ioh. 3.9 Hee that is borne of God sinneth not And the reason is For that his heart is surely and safely armed with a good conscience with the brest plate of Righteousnes This appeareth more plainely vnto vs by the example of Dauid who is noted to haue his heart thorowly fenced with the knowledge of the Truth and thereupon to giue himselfe to righteousnes and the workes thereof yet he is noted also to haue taken euen great and grieuous wounds hee sinned most grieuously but these wounds did not pierce to his heart but sticked still in his flesh onely for that he was armed with this brest-plate of righteousnes Hereupon it is that hee confesseth Psa 119.48 I haue alwayes sought after thy Law And I did meditate in thy Commandements The fourth thing to bee vsed in this preparation vnto death 4. The Shooes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace Ephes 6.15 is called of the Apostle the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of Peace euen all those comfortable promises of the Gospell wherewith if the feet of thy soule be shooed it will make thee more ready prepared and nimble to ouer-leape and stryde ouer all stumbling blockes lets and hinderances which Satan the World or thy sinfull Flesh shall cast in the way before thee The sift is 5. Hope of saluation the helmet of Hope euen the hope of saluation and expectation of eternall life For this hope will strengthen and incourage vs against all kinde of miseries troubles and afflictions yea and against the feare of death it selfe and that in such manner that although these of themselues appeare to be very terrible and able to daunt the courage of euery one yet through this Helmet the terror and feare of them is taken away and they which are with this piece of Armour furnished are made strong and able to suffer and indure them continually It is well called of the Apostle the helmet or head-piece of saluation for it will shrowd and couer vs from the hurt of all assaults of the enemies whatsoeuer For then alone wee yeeld when as wee despayre and are out of hope but whiles hope lasteth wee are ready still to fight and striue vnto the death In the sixth place commeth the shield of faith 6. Shield of Faith which hath this vertue and power giuen vnto it that it will quench all the fiery darts of the Diuel For hauing our faith and confidence set and seated vpon Christ and vpon his death and Passion wee shall be thereby so surely kept and couered that no assault or terrour of the Diuell shall be able to annoy or hurt vs but with ease wee shall be able to withstand them and to auoid the danger of them all The time when Satan most preuaileth against vs is when he seeth and perceiueth vs to bee destitute of this piece of Armour to protect and defend vs. Therefore against this day and time of death it is expedient and needfull for vs to vse all good meanes to cheere vp and increase this faith of ours that then especially it may be strong and flourishing when as we shall be thus incountred with by these extremites For the seuenth piece of Armour 7. Sword of the Spirit takâ— the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God In this also it behooueth thee to be prepared to haue good knowledge For Satan as hath beene shewed before hath many temptations which in his owne sense and sort he vseth to ground vpon the written Word which temptations can by no meanes better bee auoided then by the same Word vsed in the true and right sense thereof This can hardly or neuer bee done vnlesse thou be skilfull and expert in the Scriptures Wherefore let these I meane the Scriptures be thy dayly Garden wherin thou mayst gather most sweet and comfortable simples against this sicke and heauy day Make these thy counsellers to instruct thee and let these bee vsed as a sharpe and two-edged sword to strike and wound thine enemies withall That thou mayst therefore be expert and cunning in the vse of this weapon I would aduise thee to exercise thy selfe herein to meditate in this day and night vntill thou hast thorowly attained to the true vse of this so needfull and profitable a weapon and that thou mayst be cunning and know perfectly how to weyld it euery way to meet with Satans subtill and crafty assaults Vnto all these it is necessary that thou adde and adioyne feruent Prayer That God would giue thee grace strength vnto these things continually and euery day increasing all vnto thy comfort And that hee would vouchsafe to prepare and furnish thee vnto this spirituall and finall combate at thine end and death as that when and howsoeuer it shall happen thou mayst be alwayes in a readinesse to vndertake it with willingnes and to continue and abide with faith and constancie vnto the end Now that thou art taught by the Apostle speaking and writing by the direction of the Spirit of God how to arme thy selfe on all parts from the top to the toes Let not this be wanting in thee namely a dayly meditation of those things that may increase and further the former proceedings Of this sort are the consideration of the flitting estate the vanities and miseries of this present world the exceeding ioyes of heauen and the life to come the momentany paines
our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5.11 12. saying Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heauen Of this is that of Iames to be vnderstood Iam. 1.2 when he exhorteth the brethren to account it an exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations For it cannot bee but that they that are possessed with that former ioy in the promises of grace vnder hope of glory but that they should also triumph and reioyce in afflictions that besall vnto them for Iesus sake Hereupon it is that the Apostles being beaten and scourged are said to depart Act. 5.41 reioycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ Thus also the Martyrs of God are said to account it a crowne of glory euen their death and martyrdome which they indured in the cause of Christ To this doing no doubt they were stirred and moued because as Paul speaketh they did know certainly and beleeue that those momentany and light afflictions doe cause a more excellent and eternall weight of glory Or else because they are fully instructed and taught in the true vse and fruit of their afflictions Ro. 5.3 4 5. and doe know that tribulations bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed But it is far otherwise with the hypocrites For their time or rather vntimely faith in stead of triumphing and reioycing as one finding fit matter whereon to worke doth waste and melt away at the heate of these tribulations euen as the snow before the Sunne Well it may appeare to flourish awhile in time of peace and to shoote out the blade but when the parching sunne of afflictions doth shew forth his beames when the time of persecutions the time of tryall is come it then falleth and withereth away as though it neuer had beene For howsoeuer they seeme to approoue and like well of Religion yet doe they not delight in this Iewell that will cost so deare as eyther goods or life and therfore doe vtterly fall and shrinke away from it seeing it cannot be had held without such trouble and disquiet And that thou mayst the better know and discerne the true reioycing from the counterfet ioy of hypocrites I would wish thee to consider well of the Apostles words before recited out of Romanes 5.3 4 5. Ro. 5.3 4 5. where the Apostle doth maruellously illustrate the same First by certaine effects which proceed therefrom one vpon anothere by degrees and secondly from the speciall cause thereof The effects are First Patience which consisteth in quiet suffering and abiding the Lords corrections without any repining murmuring or grudging against the Lord for the same Secondly experience which is that assurance of Gods care and fauour towards them in their afflictions who although hee hath laid the same vpon them yet he will sustaine and vphold them so that they shall not shrinke or fall vnder this heauy burthen of tribulations and that the Lord in his good time for a testimonie of his loue will deliuer them Thirdly from these ariseth hope that hauing had experience of Gods loue heretofore in deliuering of them they are thereby also put in hope that his louing care ouer them is not now ended but shall still be continued towards them And fourthly this hope bringeth forth a boldnes to persist in confidence and still to depend vpon him without shame as knowing assuredly that in time conuenient hee will not faile them Secondly the cause or foundation whereupon this triumphant reioycing accompanied with these effects is grounded is the loue of God spred in their hearts because their hearts and soules finde and feele the loue of God to be so great and exceeding towards them in Christ Iesus that they are thereby perswaded that whatsoeuer he doth permit and suffer to befall them shall by Gods working turne to their great good and benefit Strengthening themselues with this reason of the Apostle elsewhere alledged That seeing GOD hath not spared his owne Sonne Rom. 8.32 but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also For in this sort and after this order by this fruitfull meditation of grace in Christ and in his death and Passion is that same sheading and spreading abroad of Gods loue towards his children performed And therefore the Apostle euen immediately vpon the same annexeth the remembrance of the Passion of our Sauiour Rom. 5 6. For Christ saith hee when we were of no strength at his time dyed for the vngodly The fift effect of Faith The fift effect of Faith whereby as a marke thereof it is to bee knowne is loue not that loue before spoken of for that was in regard of vs a passiue loue beeing the Loue God whereby hee loueth vs. But this loue whereof wee now speake is actiue in regard of our selues euen that loue which we extend to others Gal. 5.6 for faith worketh by loue so that if thou hast a liuing and a working Faith thou shalt also haue a loue attending on it for else it cannot worke at all Now this loue in regard of the double obiect is found to bee of two sorts that is the loue which wee owe vnto God principally and aboue all and secondly the loue which we owe ought to beare towards our neighbour And these two kindes of loue although they greatly differ the one from the other yet they are alwayes so linked and inseparably coupled and tyed together that they cannot in any wise bee parted or seuered the one from the other For how can he saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 4.20 that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whom hee hath not seene And againe this commandement haue wee of him that hee which loueth God should loue his brother also And therefore the same Apostle in the same Epistle maketh the one to bee a signe and token vvhereby a man may know if hee haue the other In this we know saith Iohn that we loue the children of God 1. Ioh. 5.2 when we loue God and keepe his Commandements Hereupon now it may bee very well concluded that if thy faith bee true and liuely thou shalt easily finde these two kindes of loue to bee in thee the loue of GOD and the loue of thy Christian brethren My meaning is that thou wilt haue a Christian care so farre forth as thou shalt bee enabled by the Spirit of God 1. Ioh. 5.3 to performe and doe the will of God For this is the loue of God saith Iohn that we keepe his commandements And also wilt bee carefull ready and willing to thy power to performe and doe the duties of loue and charitie vnto thy Christian brother in helping cherishing counselling and comforting of him to thy power in matters concerning both the good